Bush AG: Obama immigration order a ‘political calculation’

Former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales says he agrees with President Obama’s sentiments on immigrant children, just not his approach, according to Talking Points Memo.

Gonzales, who served during George W. Bush’s presidency, criticized Obama’s executive order this week preventing the deportation of immigrants who meet certain conditions at the Faith and Freedom conference in Washington D.C.

“To halt through executive order the deportation of some undocumented immigrants looks like a political calculation to win Hispanic votes,” Gonzales said, “and subjects him to criticism that he is violating his oath of office by selectively failing to enforce the law.”

The executive order prevents the deportation of immigrants who came to the U.S. between the ages of 16 and 30, if they have lived in the country for at least five consecutive years and obtained a high school diploma or GED or served in the military. They are also allowed to apply for two-year work permits that can be renewed without limit.

Gonzales said the new policy did not address “visa overstayers” or undocumented immigrants who came to the U.S. as adults.

A Wall Street Journal poll released last month had Obama with a commanding advantage over his Republican challenger, Mitt Romney, among Latino voters, garnering 61 percent of their support to Romney’s 27 percent. The poll also showed that only 22 percent of Latinos saw the Republican Party positively.

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Arturo R. García is the managing editor at Racialicious.com. He is based in San Diego, California and has written for both print and broadcast media, including contributions to GlobalComment.com, The Root and Comment Is Free. Follow him on Twitter at @ABoyNamedArt